Public Speaking for Real Estate: How to Overcome Video Anxiety

Many agents understand the value of video marketing. They know how to use a video camera and can think of several ways through which videos can help them attract more leads.

However, they don't create videos. Why? Because they're afraid of how they'll look or sound on camera. If you're one of the agents letting fear of the camera keep you from growing your business through video, check out the tips below to learn how you can look and sound your best and, in doing so, find the confidence to give video a try!

How You Look

First of all, you don't have to look like you just stepped off a runway to make real estate videos. Your clients aren't expecting you to be perfect; they just want to know that you're going to help them get the best deal and save them time, money, or worry. With that in mind, here are some tips to looking more appealing on camera.

Many camera newcomers, wanting to handle everything on their own, start filming by simply setting up a camera in an empty room. That's a perfectly viable approach. However, if you choose it, make sure you remember you're not talking to the camera—you're addressing your future audience. Be sure to look into the lens of the camera so that when your viewer pulls up your video on YouTube or Facebook, you'll be looking right at them.

Also keep in mind that confidence looks good on everyone. Make yourself seem more confident by avoiding nervous body language such as touching your face, playing with your hair, fidgeting, pacing, and rubbing the back of your neck. One thing you can do to seem more confident is gesture while you speak (just don't go overboard) to help emphasize your points and make you seem more energetic. Also, shooting your video from a slightly higher angle and angling your body with one side closer to the camera will make you appear thinner, and smiling will, of course, make you seem friendly and approachable.

When choosing what to wear, remember that you want to look good, feel confident, and meet your client's expectations. All three of these things should be taken into account when planning your attire. If you feel confident in a tux, you'll look great, but will your clients recognize you? Keep all three in mind and try to choose colors that won't distract from you and your message.

How You Sound

You've probably noticed that your voice sounds tinny and higher pitched in recordings—and, if you're like me, you hate the way it sounds. There's a scientific reason why many people hate their voices. Sound is made with vibrations, and when we hear other people talk, we pick up those vibrations from the air. When we talk, we hear the vibrations from the air as well as those from our vocal cords and airways, adding bass tones that make it seem (to us) that our voices are deeper and more melodious than they really are. This makes our recorded voices (how others hear us all the time) sound strange and unfamiliar, lacking the bass tones that give our voices the warmth and depth we're used to. Luckily, your friends, family, and clients are used to your voice and it doesn't sound strange to them at all.

So although there's nothing wrong with your voice, there are things you can do to make yourself sound better on camera. The first is to slow down. When you're nervous, it's natural to speak quicker to try to cram everything in before you lose your audience's attention or to simply get it over with. However, slowing down will make you sound more confident, make you easier to understand, and make it easier for your audience to process your message. Take care to speak clearly and enunciate as well.

Another way to give yourself a sound boost is by infusing your voice with emotion. Depending on what your video's topic is, you can try speaking with excitement, passion, happiness, anger, or frustration to engage your audience and get them emotionally invested in your message. Just remember to match your emotion to your subject and to use negative emotional tones with great care.

Finally, eliminating filler words like "um," "er," and "uh" will help you sound more knowledgeable and come across more smoothly. Knowing what you're going to talk about and in which order will help you progress through your talking points with a minimum amount of awkward moments.

Now, go forth and create videos!

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.